Astros bump Norris’ start back two days with arm stiffness

VIERA, Fla. — Bud Norris will be given two extra days of rest because of the triceps stiffness that cut short his last start, but manager Brad Mills said he’s not concerned about Norris’ readiness for the regular season.

Norris will now start Friday in the home half of a split-squad evening against the Braves, while Lucas Harrell will take the start Wednesday against the Marlins.

Norris was preemptively held to three innings in his last start.

Mills made the announcement after a 7-4 loss to the Nationals, which he called Jordan Lyles’ best start of the spring. Lyles threw 89 pitches, easily his longest outing and gave up five runs (three earned) on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out five. The eight hits were two doubles and six singles, mostly not the sharpest-hit balls.

“I think this was probably my best outing command-wise,” Lyles said, adding that he was pleased by his stamina through the 89 pitches.

“The curveball’s coming along. I buried a couple when I wanted to and it’s just something I didn’t have in the past.”

The Astros got home runs from Chris Johnson, his fourth of the spring, and Brandon Barnes, summoned from minor league camp to start in right field the day after the split-squad games.

Lyles encouraged despite loss

While the five runs (three earned) Jordan Lyles allowed in 42⁄3 innings Monday were unsightly, both Brad Mills and the pitcher himself agreed that it was Lyles’ best outing of the spring.

The 21-year-old righthander allowed eight hits, a few bloops mixed in there, walked one and struck out five.

“I think this was probably my best outing command-wise,” Lyles said of his 89-pitch effort. “The curveball’s coming along. I buried a couple when I wanted to, and it’s just something I didn’t have in the past.”

Lyles is competing for a spot in the rotation with Kyle Weiland and Zach Duke. Mills and general manager Jeff Luhnow said Monday that no decision has been made on Duke’s next move after he allowed 10 runs to the Braves on Sunday.

The five runs off Lyles were enough to give the Nationals a win, 7-4, dropping the Astros under .500 for the first time in Grapefruit League play at 11-12.

The Astros got home runs from Chris Johnson, his fourth of the spring, and Brandon Barnes, summoned from minor league camp to start in right field. However, they were held to six hits, including just two in the first six innings with starters mostly in.

Chapman makes Astros debut

Lefthander Kevin Chapman, acquired from Kansas City in the trade for Jason Bourgeois and Humberto Quintero, got the call from minor league camp and gave up a home run and got a flyout in his Grapefruit League debut.

Chapman, who finished 2011 at the Class AA level, described his repertoire as a two-seam and a four-seam fastball with a slider and a changeup that he’ll throw only occasionally to righthanded hitters.

Odds and ends

Brad Mills was still raving about top prospect Jarred Cosart’s stuff a day after his Grapefruit League debut. With another split-squad game falling on Cosart’s day to throw, Mills said the League City native might be seen again in a big league game. Cosart, still in minor league camp, is not considered a candidate to make the team. …
Jordan Schafer’s return from a sprained hand was postponed again, and he is not expected to play today either. Schafer has been out nine days. … Rule 5 pick Rhiner Cruz threw his fourth straight scoreless inning after a poor start
to spring training, and Mills said he’s very much in the mix for a bullpen spot.